Vehicle seat



.March 23,1954 u H, E. ALTGELT VEHICLE SEAT Filed Nov, 9, 1950 INVENTOR. jZEAljge/ f 1 'A l I OIW s Patented Mar. 23, 1954 VEHICLE SEAT Herman E. Altgelt, Moline, Ill., assignor to Deere & Company, Moline, Ill., acorporation of Illip nois Application November 9, 1950, Serial No. 194,785 Y `I his invention relates to a vehicle seaty structure and more particularly to aseatthat is reversible from. side to side to provide at all times a substantially level surface for carrying a rider or operator regardlessof the slope-#within limits-of the terrain over which the vehicle travels. The invention' finds its greatest utility in use on an agricultural tractor, because such tractor, in addition to normal operation over relatively level elds, is usedfor plowing in which one. wheel runs in a furrow, thus causing the tractor to lean toy one side. Unlesssome specialA provision is made for adjustingrthe seat or operators platform, the normally level seating or standing I.surface is inclined to the horizontal, resulting in discomfort to the operator. Various forms of mechanism to compensate for the leaning of the seat or platform are known,;but all of these are quite expensive and are difficult to adjust and maintain. A.

According to the present invention, the problem is eliminated by the simple expedient of a riderA carrying part or seat that is reversiblerfrom side to side and associated with appropriately designed supports so that it presents an upper carrying surface that will be level whether the tractor is operated on the level or with one wheel `in thel furrow.' It is an object of the invention to sim-v plify the seatstructure so that it maybe readily adapted 'totractors and other vehicles of known designs. It is a further object of the invention to provide a seat structure in which only the seat detailed description andfaccompanying sheet of drawings in which: f

Figure 1 is a perspective'view of an agricultural tractor;equipped with the improved seat structure. Y A v n f Figure 2 is a rear elevational View of the tractor, showing the position Whichthe seat structure will occupy during operation on the level.

Figure v3 is a similar view showing the tractor with one'vwgheel running in a furrow.

Figure vIl is a perspective view, with portions broken away, showing some of the details of the seat structure.l 1

Fig-ure is a transverse sectional lview take substantially on the line 5--5 of Figure 4 and; showingtherelationship betweenthe. seat cushion 4 claims. (c1. 155-121) and its supports in accordance with the operation of the. tractor as shownin Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a View similar to Figure 5, but relating to operation of the tractor as shown in Figure 3.

lThe tractor chosen for the purpose of illustration is merely typical of tractors or vehicles in general subject to operating conditions of the type to be hereinafter described. This tractor comprises a longitudinal body l0 carried at its` forward end on a rolling ground-engaging element in the form of a single steerable wheel i2: and having at its rear end laterally outwardly extending axle housings I4 and It which respectively carry axles ES and 20 to which are respectively secured rear rolling ground-engaging ele` ments in the form of traction wheels 22 and 24. In the particular form of tractor illustrated, the rear :portion of the body I0 carries mounting structure it conventionally utilized to carry a seat behind a steering wheel 28 for steering the front wheel i2. The details of the seat illustrated here will be described below.

' In Figure 2, the tractor is shown as operating over a level field, the ground line being designated generally by the letters L-L. The traction wheels 22 and 2t have a common transverse axis A-A which,.in Figure 2, is parallel to the ground line L-L. ln Figure 3 the tractor is shown as operatingover a eld that is being plowed, where# fore the right hand traction wheel 2l will operate in a furrow F. T Le depth ofthe furrow may vary but a mean depth of approximately six inches may be assumed for present purposes. If the tread or vtransverse spacing between the traction wheels 22 and 24 be assumed to be about fifty-six inches, the angle of inclination of the axis A-A to the ground line L-'L in Figure 3 will be approximately six degrees.' In the conventional tractor, the aforesaid inclination of the axis A-A to. the ground causes a corresponding list or tilt of the operators seat, resulting in discomfort to the operator. .According to the present invention, yprovision is made for selectively reversing apart of the seat structure to accommodate operation of the tractor' as in either Figure 2 or Figure 3.

As best shown in Figures 5 and 6, the upper portion of the mounting structure 26 presents an upper surface 28 including a line B-B that is parallel Vto the axis A--A and which, when the tractor is operated as in Figure 2, will be level or horizontal. This surface has a pair of laterally spaced apart supports 39 and 32.

The top por-` tion of thev support 32 is higherbya predeter.

mined distance than the top portion of the support 30. In the particular instance illustrated, the difference in height of the supports 3|] and 32 above the axis A-A is such that a line C-C drawn transversely across and connecting the top portions of the supports is at an angle to the axis A-A substantially equal to the angle between the axis.A-'A;i,and the horizontalmhen theftractor is operated as in Figure 3.

The supports 30 and 32 respectively include longitudinal retaining members in the form of angles 34 and 36 which support and retain aiseatcushion 38. The support 32 includes a lower angle 40 below and parallel to theanglQSSJ-WheangIesf 34 and 40 are joined at theirrfront'lendsvby-a* transverse member or angle 42 and are joined at their rear ends by a secondatransvers'eanngle.44ii To the side angles 34 and 40 are respectively affixed arm rests 45 and 48 which extend '-up wardly and rearwardly .and merge into a trans- `verseabight 50. A-ba'ck rest?` 52 is -carriedfbelow the bight 50 and..between'.the.arm-:rests.;461and 48. The arm rests andthebacb restl areiixed relative tol the mounting structure 26.=and always remain in their normal position regardlessofreyversibility of the seat cushion-i315.,`

The lseatcushionl has .an -upper`- surface ..54 which, although shown. .asfbeing upwardly. convex, is'deformable by the weight of a rider to what .may be considered ahorizontal plane .surface including a' horizontal lineiD-D. Forthe purpose of theA following `description the. relaxed convexity of the surface54rwi11 be ignored. The seat. cushion has a bottom surface Eiland opposite side elementsugandfli.' :Thesesides are difierentvertical dimensions Asozzthat; the side.: 581; is, relatively vlong .and thezsidei .isrelatively. short vas respects its. vertical.- extentbelow the upper surface :54 (or below..the line D.-D) .'jThe relationshipxzbetween the. .upper and lower:surfaces-54..` and izissuch thatA they -converge=!from..the :sideiaxtowarda the side. El)eatcanf.angle.isubstantially -equal to the angle between the axis A-.Aaandtheground line L-.L when the tractor is operated as in'Figure 3.

ilThe side. elements 158-.and260arelaterally spaced apart on'the order oftthe lateralffspacingbetween the. .'seat. supports gaand f32 .andthefhottonrportions ofthezlowersurface. 1at OPDOSite'SideS 0fv theseat are respectively removably'receivablerby thesupportszin suchmanner vthat .the seat may. be selectivelyv reversedzfrom side. to side'; to accommodate differences-in aseating Achara'cteristics .according `to'. whether thegtractoris operated. on the level vas in FigurejZfor with vone wheel in the furrow asv inFigure. When the :tractcrfisfoperated on the' level,..the seat cushion 38.is positionedas in Figure. .Tlaelbottom portionat'the';sideile isi received by the low lsupport 30. andthe bottom portion atthe shorter side .60 .is .receivedfbyrthe high support 32.5. `Since .theaxis lA-f-A isrnow level, the lplane.i that includes theA linefC-O will. be atan angle above' this axis. Howeverrbecanse of` the position; ofztthe .seat cushion, this,X angleisl neutralized l,or :balanced byfthe. angle'fof con?. vergencebetweexrthe upper; surface Mand .lowers surfacezil.4 Statedv otherwise, whenzztherseateis :in:r this position, the angle of the surface 54.110 ythe axisf -A-.A is.` equal A.tde.the'jdiierence'. between the angle"betweenD.-D;,and C=C;and the anglabe.- tween`C+Cand:AfL-A.

On thefotherrhand, when thertractoreisroperatedeas; inizFigure 3,gzthef. seat.I ,cushioni'lis reversed as-shown Figure: 6, :so thattthe .longerforhighen sidef;58; of theseat cushioniscarriedbyathe higherv supportcr32 andltheilowengside B'nzisicarried lavthay lower support 30. The axis A-A is now at an angle to the ground line L-L. However, the upper surface of the seat cushion will be level since the angle between D-D and A-A is equal 5 to the sum of the angles between D-D and C-C and C-C and A-A. Since the last two mentioned. anglesare equaliitiollows .that the angle lv ;.belayeern ADF-D Land .ib-Aris equalffto` twice the angle between C`C and A`A.

`One of the important features of the invention is its simplicity. The seat cushion is, as hasgbeen described, wedge-shaped as viewed from the fronton rear. The angle of convergence be- ^ftweeng-the upper-surfaces of the seat cushion is l5 'l related to thediflerence in height of the seat supports, so that the seat is selectively reversible '.lSQmssideatoi.sideaas aforesaid. The particular dimensions Chosen are based upon a mean or average plowing depth.. Other` dimensions could be similarly used and adapted.

'.'Variousother features notgspeciica-lly enumerated lherein-will undoubtedly occur to those versed `inthefart, as welllasV various modifications and alterationsin the-preferred embodiment ofl the yinvention illustrated, all of which -may be achieved without `departing from vthe spirit and scope vof .the invention.- as defined-in vthe appended claims.

"If claim:

. 1. Ina vehicle of the type having a longitudinal bodycarried `in a normally level position by Vand between a-pair of .laterallyspaced apart rolling ground-.engaging elements, the improvementresiding` instructure for'carryingf a" rider onI the vehicle,y comprising-z a pair of laterallyspaced apart supports having top portions spaced at -different distances labove a normally lh orizontal transverseaxis so that-a line drawn'transversely across andconnecting said top-portions isata predetermined angle to said axis; a rider-carrying part having an upper surface and;a pair of side elements spaced apart laterally yonthe order of the-spacing of the supportsfandgincluding bottom portionsr `spaced at different distances 4.5 belowsaid'surface sothat-the angle'between'said surfacel and a line drawn across andV connecting said `bottornportionsl is substantially equal to the aforesaid predeterminedr angle; andgsaid bottom portionsbeing removably receivable bysaid top portions of the-supports and said-rider,'carrying part-being selectively reversible'from sideto side to -position'lsaid upper surface eitherj-paralleljto said axis'or atan'angletof-said'axis substantially equal'to twice the aforesaid'predetermined angle. 2. In a vehicle of the type having a longitudinal bodyA carriedQ i-n-a normally' level positionV by and between av-fpair -of laterallyspaced'apart rolling groundengagingwelernents,I the improvementY residing f' instructure -for' carrying ,ag rider yonythe 60. vehicle',-comprising: a-pair ofllaterally spaced apart supports having vtop portionsspacediat different distances abovezanormally horizontal transverse -axis softha'ta line drawn'- transversely across and connecting said top portionsv -is'iatal `v predetermined-angle tofsai'd#ax-is; a rider-carrying part having ani-upper'surface-'and arpair of side elements spaced apart laterally`y onilth'eA `order ofthe .spacing of.v the supportsiand including `bottom portions spacedlfatdiierentf lxdistances- `below 7.05, saidisurface so that-a linefdrawn acrossandconnecting sa-id" bottom.A portionsy -israt fa second l predetermined angle to said top surfacel-vand-said' bottom .portionsabeing removablyf receivable 'f by said; topl-fportionsfof-the supports fandsai'df. rider- 15; carrying. spart: 5heing -fselectively:reversible ff-from side to side to position said upper surface either at an angle to said axis equal to the diierence between said predetermined angles or at an angle to said axis equal to the sum of said predetermined angles.

3. In a vehicle of the type having a longitudinal body carried in a normally level position by and between a pair of laterally spaced apart rolling ground-engaging elements, the improvement residing in structure for carrying a rider on the vehicle, comprising: a pair of laterally spaced apart supports having top portions spaced at different distances above a normally horizontal transverse axis so that a line drawn transversely across and connecting said top portions is at a predetermined angle to said axis; a seat cushion having an upper surface and a lower surface, and opposite sides spaced laterally apart on the order of the spacing between said supports, one of said sides being higher than the other and said upper and lower surfaces converging from the higher to the lower side at an angle substantially equal to the aforesaid predetermined angle; and said bottom surface being removably receivable by the top portions of the supports and said seat being selectively reversible from side to side to position said upper surface either parallel to said axis or at an angle to said axis substantially equal to twice the aforesaid predetermined angle.

4. In a vehicle of the type having a longitudinal body carried in a normally level position byv and between a pair of laterally spaced apart rolling ground-engaging elements, the improvement residing in structure for carrying a rider on the vehicle, comprising: a pair of laterally spaced apart supports carried by the vehicle body and having top portions spaced at diierent distances above a normally horizontal transverse axis so that one of said portions is relatively high and the other is relatively low as respects said axis; a rider-carrying part having an upper surface and a pair of side elements spaced apart laterally on the order of the spacing of said supports, one of said side elements having different vertical dimensions so that one side element is relatively long and the other is relatively short as respects its vertical extent below said upper surface; and said side elements having bottom portions removably and selectively receivable by the top portions of the supports for mounting of the seat in either of two positions, in one of which positions the long and short side elements are carried respectively by the high and low supports, and in the other of which positions the seat is reversed from side to side and the long and short side elements are respectively carried by the low and high supports.

HERMAN E. ALTGELT.

References Cited in the file of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 277,544 Chappel May 15, 1883 1,379,771 McKinley May 31, 1921 1,977,520 McCoy Oct. 16, 1934 2,265,901 Greig Dec. 9, 1941 2,489,981 Rose Nov. 29, 1949 

